Automatic reversible ribbon-feed.



A. C. ROE'BUCK.

AUTOMATIC REVERSIBLE RIBBQN FEED. v APPLICATlON HLEDJUNEI. 195- I 1,257,401, Patented Feb, 26, 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET i.

A. C. ROEBUCK. AUTOMATIC REVERSIBLE RIBBON FEED.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 1, I915.

Patented Feb. 26, 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

nnrrnn STATES rarer orrio ALVAI'I C. ROEBUCK, OF WOODSTOCK, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOE, TC; WOODSTOCK TYPEWR-ITER COMPANY, OF WOODSTOCK, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

AUTOMTATIC REVERSIBLE RIBBON-FEED.

Application filed June 1, 1915.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALYAH C. RonnUGK, a citizen of the United Fvtates. residing at Woodstock, in the county of MeHenry and tatc of Illinois, ha *e invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Reversible Ribbon-Feeds, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to typewriters, and more particularly to the ribbon feeding mechanism with parts for automatically reversing the feeding mechanism when the ribbon is nearly unwound from one of the ribbon spools.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a simple, reliable and efiicient mechanism for effecting the automatic reverse of the typewriter ribbon, and the invention consists in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts for accomplishing this result. Other objects of the invention will appear hereinafter.

in the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view viewed from the under side, of the preferred embodiment of my invention; Fig. 2 is a perspective of one of the ribbon spools; Fig. 3 is a side elevation of one of the ribbon spools with parts broken away to show the operating mechanism; Fig. 4c is. a sectional side view of one of the ribbon spools; Fig. 5 is a sectional view on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1. and 6 is a perspective of a reversing lever.

One of the principal advantages of this automatic ribbon reverse mechanism, in addition to simplicity and economy of construction. is that there no additional strain on the ribbon during the reversing operation. the reverse being accomplished by the. feedmg mechanism. Also the reversing 1S done much more quickly than. many forms of mechanism for this purpose which prevents a prolonged operation of the type on the same spot of the ribbon. The action of this reversing mechanism is so ligl'it that i does not materially increase the tension on any of the operaing parts and does not necessitate a heavier touch on the key buttons of the type bar levers to any appreciable extent.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, the numeral 1 designates generally the top frame of a typewriter to which the apparatus is attached, the mechanism being viewed from the under side in Fig. 1.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 26, 1918.

Serial No. 31.332.

Secured to: this portion of the frame is a type bar segment 2 in which the type bars are pivoted in the ordinary manner, and at the rear of the segment is a universal bar 3 connected to a frame 4t which oscillates with the universal bar to operate the escapement mechanism (not shown) in the well known manner.

Mounted in brackets 5 depending from the plate is a longitudinally movable shaft 6, and freely mounted upon the shaft between the brackets is a sleeve 7. To the sleeve is secured a collar 8 which has a plate 9 (see Fig. 5) by means of which it is connected to the oscillating frame iso that the oscillation of the frame will cause a rotary movement to be imparted to the sleeve 7. Adjacent each end of the sleeve is a collar 10 connected to a feeding pawl 11 so that reciprocating movement will be given to the pawl as the sleeve is oscillated. Mounted on the plate 1 adjacent each feeding pawl is a detentpawl 12 and connected to the pawls are springs 13 and 14 which tend to draw them in connection with a ribbon feeding ratchet wheel 15.

A ribbon spool cover 16 is secured to the top of the frame 1. at each side thereof preferably by means of a perforated stud 17 which is secured to the spool cover and has a threaded extension 18 extending through the plate 1. it hexagonal nut 19 is provided in the extending threaded sleeve which engages the threaded extension 18 and thereby holds the spool cover, stud and the cover in place on the plate 1. This nut 19 ard its sleeve also forms a bearing for a rotatable hub 20 to which is secured the ratchet feed wheel 15, a cam 21 and a gear 22 separated from the cam by a collar 23. This hub 20 is freely rotatable and both of the ratchet feed wheels 15 are held in continual engagement with the feeding and detent pawls 11 and 12 so "that they are operated continuously in the same direction when the typewriter is in operation.

A ribbon spool shaft 24; extends through the cover stud 17 and is freely rotatable therein. It is held in place by a Collar 25 secured to it above the stud 17 and has a perfo ation 26 at the lower end in which a rod 27 is slidable, the collar 25 being provided with a laterally opening recess through which the upper bent end 28 of the rod 27 extends. The opening for the upper end of the rod 27 iermits the rod to slide up and down, and pivoted to the collar 25 is a perforated yoke 29 which engages the bent end 28 of the rod, and the yoke has a finger 30 which extends upwai llv for engagement by the ribbon to control the posit n of the slide rod. The spool shaft 2 is old in place at its lower end by means of a hub 31 threaded on the lower end of the rod to which is secured a ge r 32 which is slightly less in diameter than the gear 22 mounted on the hub 20 but preferably has the same number of teeth. At the lower end of the slide rod 2? is a collar 3 preferably held in place by a nut 3%. From this description it obrious that the slide rod 27 rotates with the ribbon spool shaft islbut may slide longitudinally therein and the ribbon spool shaft is freely rotatable within the ribbon spool stud 1i and carries the gear 32 which is fixed to the shaft. The hub 20 is intermittently rotated in the same direction when the typewriter is operated carrying with it the ratchet 15, the cam 21, the gear 22, which is slightly larger in diameter than the gear 32.

A ribbon spool is shownin perspective in Fig. 2 and in section in Fig. 4. and comprises a perforated hub which slips over the ribbon spool shaft and has a projection 36 which engages in a corresponding hole in the collar for rotating the spool with the spool shaft. A nut 37 at the top of the spool shaft holds the spool in place. The rub 35 is formed with a recess 38 and one end of the ribbon spool is provided w'th an aperture corresponding to the recess through which the finger 30 of the pivoted yoke 29 is adapted to extend. lVhen ribbon is wound about the spool in engagement with the finger 30 the yoke is pressed to its uppermost position carrying with it the slide d 2? b" reason of the engagement of its 28 with the yoke As soon as the ribbon is unwound from the spool so that there is nothing to hold the finger 30 in place the rod 27 and the yoke drop to the lowermost position for actuating the reverse mechanism as hereinafter described.

At each side of the plate, a boss 4 which supports a rotatable stud 41 upon which is pivoted at right angles to the aXis of the stud a yoke 4-2 (see Fig. 6) having extending arms l3 and spaced apart, the former carryinga roller l5 and the latter being formed with a head adaption to be engaged in the collar of the rod 27. lhe

stud ell is provided with a projection l? to limit the downward movement of the yoke 4-2. Also secured to each stud shaft 21 is a lever %8 which carries on one end freely rotatable pinion d9 of considerable length which adapts it to make connection between the gears 22 and 32 carried by the hubs 20 and 31, respectively. Each l ver a8 is secured to its stud shaft ell and the latter to the frame by a fastening device 50 so that hen the stud shaft all is oscillated the lever 48 is carried with it. The stud shafts are oscillated by means of yoke members e2, each of which has one arm in engagement with the collar of its slide rod 27, and the roller 45 of each yoke member is adapted to engage its cam 21 depending upon the position of the slide rod. If the slide rod in its uppermost position, as shown by the left hand side of Fig. 1 and by Fig. 8, the roller 45 does not enga e its cam 21 but as soon as the slide rod falls the roller is moved bythe yoke to engage the cam 21. or if the cam is in the position as shown by the left hand portion of Fig. 1 the roller will rest on the surface of the cam until the cam is rotated by the ratchet wheel 15 to a position where the roller will fall and be engaged by the cam. The engagement of the roller 45 of a yoke member by its cam 21 causes the oscillation of the yoke and the corresponding oscillation of the lever l8 thereby moving the pinion l9 toward the gears and Both of the lovers d8 are connected by means of projections 51 with the longitudinally movable rod 6 so that the movement of one of the levers ilS causes a corresponding movement of the other one. One of these levers however. the left hand lever in Fig. 1, is formed with an angular extremity having angular portions 52 and 5 on opposite sides of the apex. Pivoted on the plate 1 adjacent this extremit is a bell H be crank one end havii'ig a rorrer oo adapted to engage the angular portions and the other connected to a spring 56 for holdin the bell crank in such engagement. The parts are so proportioned that when the roller l5, which does the reversing, has not quite reached the topmost portion of its cam 21 its pinion i will be some distance away from the gears and 32 and the roller of the bell crank will be resting upon the point or apex of the extremity of lever 48 between the angular portions 52 and Then when the roller on the lever e8 reaches the topmost point of its cam 21. the roller on bell crank passes over the apex of the lever 4.8 and the action of the spring 56 attached to the-bell crank and the action of the roller 55 on the cam surface positively throws the pinion e9 into mesh with the gear .ilie object of having one gear slightly smaller in diameter than the is to prevent the pinion 1-9 from locking when it is sprung into position upon the reversing movement. will be noted that the teeth of these gears are pointed but still it happen that the point of t teeth. of pinion would catch upon the po' 1 of the teeth of the gears and prevent their engagement. it will be noted that the pinion is free to rotate and the gear 22 is constantly rotated when the typewriter is ope 'ated by means of the ratchet wheel so that there is no question but thit the pinion would mesh with the gear 22 but if the gears 22 and were of the same size there is a chance that when the pinion 49 is thrown toward them they might look and prevent the operation of the whole machine. By having the gear 32 slightly less in diameter, even if the pinion a9 did engage the point of one of the teeth of the gear the rotating gear 22 would engage the pinion, because the teeth are slightly longer than the teeth of the gear and the pinion would be moved from the locking position and would then be pressed by the spring 56 into engagement with both of the gears 22 and 32.

To limit the movement of the levers l8, and thereby to adjust their throw, since they are both connected to the shaft 6, an adjustable set screw 51 is threaded to each of the brackets 5 in the path of movement of the corresponding lever l8.

In the operation, as before explained, the ratchet wheels 15 are both driven intermittently in the same direction by the operation of the typewriter. The driving mechanisms are, of course, so arranged that when one spool driving mechanism is in operation the other one is not in operation.- Assumlng that the right hand driving mechanism in Fig. 1 has been in operation and has wound the ribbon from the left hand spool the continued operation will cause the slide bar 27 of the left hand mechanism to drop which will operate the yoke i2 in the manner described to bring its roller into engagement with the cam 21, whereupon the stud shaft 41 will be rotated carrying with it the lever as to a position where its pinion d9 nearly engages the gear 22. At this time the apex of the lever all should be engaged bv the roller so that the least additional movement of the roller d5 on its cam will cause the roller to pass over the apex of the lever 48 thereby pressing or throwing the pinion ff) of the lever yieldingly in mesh with both of the gears and 32. This action will move the right hand lever &8 and its pinion out of engagement with its gears 22 and 32 and since the pinion l -9 of the left hand mechanism will engage both of the gears 22 and the rotation of the ratchet wheel 15 will be connected directly to the ribbon spool shaft because the hubs 20 and 3i which carry the gears and 32 respectively, are connected together by the pinion elf). thereby rotating the left hand ribbon spool shaft in a direction to wind the ribbon upon its spool. The ribbon winding upon the spool will then engage the finger 80 and move the slide rod upwardly, which will raise the yoke member 42 so that the roller 45 is clear of its cam 21. The winding of the ribbon upon the left hand spool shaft will then continue until the reversing mechanism of the left hand spool is operated, whereupon the above described action will be automatically repeated for the right hand spool.

That I claim is:

1. In typewriter ribbon feeding mechanism, the combination with a pair of ribbon spool shafts, of a separate ratchet wheel for each shaft, means including a pawl and ratchet for each wheel for separately rotatingboth wheels at the same time, and mechanism to connect one but not both wheels to its respective spool shaft at the same time.

2. In typewriter ribbon feeding mechanism, a pair of ribbon spool shafts, a separate ratchet wheel for each shaft, means including a pawl and ratchet for each wheel for separately rotating both wheels at the same time, and selective mechanism to positively connect one of the ratchets to its spool shaft to wind ribbon from the other shaft.

3. In typewriter ribbon feeding mecha nism, separate ribbon spool ratchet wheels, means for separately operating them in unison, ribbon spool shafts, and separate selective means for each shaft for connecting one but not both of the wheels to its spool shaft and depending upon the ribbon wound upon the spool shaft for operation.

l. In typewriter ribbon feeding mechanism, separate ribbon spool ratchet wheels, means for separately operating them in unison, ribbon spool shaft, and separate selective means for each shaft joined for alternate operation and adapted to connect one but not both of the wheels to its spool shaft depending upon the ribbon wound upon the spool shaft for operation.

5. In typewriter ribbon feeding mechanism, the combination with a rotatable driving gear, a ribbon spool shaft, a gear mount ed thereon adjacent the other gear, a pinion engageable with both of said gears for driv ing them in unison, a pivoted member for moving the pinion, and means comprising acam for moving the pivoted member.

6. In typewriter ribbon feeding mechanism, the combination with a rotatable driving gear, a ribbon. spool shaft, a gear mounted thereon adjacent the other gear, a pinion engageable with both of said. gears for driving them in unison, a pivoted member for moving the pinion, a forked member for moving the lever, and means comprising a cam for moving the forked member.

'7. In typewriter ribbon feeding mechanism, a rotatable driving gear, a coaxial ribbon spool shaft, a gear secured to the shaft and less in diameter than the driving gear, and a pinion engageable with both gears, and insured of such engagement with the gears by the rotation of the larger gear which sweeps the teeth of thepinion into mesh.

8. In typewriter ribbon feeding mechanism, a rotatable driving gear, a coaxial ribbon spool shaft, a gear secured to the shaft and less in diameter than the driving gear,

and a pinion engageable with both gears, and means to press the pinion yieldingly toward the gears so that it will be swept into mesh therewith by the rotation of the larger gear.

9. In typewriter ribbon feeding mechanism, the combination with a rotatable driving gear, a ribbon spool shaft, a gear mounted thereon adjacent the other gear, a pinion adapted to be moved into engagement with both of the gears for driving them in unison, and means comprising a pivotally mounted yoke and a cam for operating the yoke to move the said pinion toward the said gears.

10. In typewriter ribbon feeding mechanism, the combination with a rotatable driving gear, of a ribbon spool shaft, a gear mounted thereon adjacent the other gear, a pinion adapted to be moved into engagement with both of the gears, means comprising a pivoted yoke for moving the pinion toward the gears, and means comprising a cam driven with the first mentioned gear for engaging the yoke to move the pinion.

11. In typewriter ribbon feeding mechanism, the combination with a driven gear wheel, of a ribbon spool shaft, a gear carried by the shaft adjacent the other gear, a pinion adapted to be moved into engagement with both of the gears, means comprising a yoke for moving the pinion toward the gears, and means comprising a slide bar controlled by the ribbon for operating the yoke member to move the pinion.

12. In typewriter ribbon feeding mechanism, the combination with a driven gear wheel, of a ribbon spool shaft, a gear carried by the shaft adjacent the other ear, a pinion adapted to be moved into engagement with both of the ears, means comprising a. yoke for moving the pinion toward the gears,

means comprising a cam driven by the first mentioned gear member for moving the yoke to move the pinion, and means comprising a slide bar controlled by the ribbon for moving the yoke member into and out of position where it will be engaged by the said cam.

13. In typewriter ribbon feeding mechanism, the combination with a driving gear, of a ribbon spool shaft, a gear carried thereby adjacent the other gear, a pinion adapted to engage both of the gears, a lever upon which the pinion is mounted, means coniprising a yoke for moving the pinion toward the gears, and means comprising a springpressed bell crank free from the lever for engaging the lever and pressing the pinion into engagement with the gears.

14:. In typewriter ribbon feeding mechanism, the combination with a driving gear,

esa r01 of a ribbon spool shaft, a gear carried thereby adjacent t 1e other gear, a pinion adapted to engage both of the gears, a lever on which a pinion is mounted having an angular portion at one end, and means comprising a spring-pressed lever having an anti-friction roller bearing against the angular portions of the other lever for pressing the pinion into and out of engagement with the said gears as the roller passes over the point of the angular portions.

15. In typewriter ribbon feeding mechanism, the combination with a driving gear, of a ribbon spool shaft, a gear carried thereby adjacent the other gear, a pinion adapted to engage both of the gears, a lever carrying a pinion on one end having faces at an angle to each other at the other end, means comprising a yoke for moving the pinion and the lever toward the said gears, operating means for the yoke, and a spring-pressed bell crank having a roller to engage the angular faces of the lever to press the pinion into and out of engagement with the said gears.

16. In automatic ribbon reversing mechanism, the combination with a driving gear rotatable in a constant direction, a ribbon spool shaft, a gear carried thereby adjacent the first mentioned gear, a pinion adapted to engage both of the gears at the same time, a lever carrying a pinion on one end and having faces substantially at right angles to each other at the other end, a yoke pivotally connected to the lever for moving it in the direction of the gears, means comprising a cam driven with the first mentioned gear to operate the yoke, means controlled by the ribbon for moving the yoke into and out of position to be engaged by the cam, and a spring-pressed lever having a roller to engage the said faces of the lever for moving it to press the pinion yieldingly into and out of engagement with the gears depending upon the position of the roller with respect to the said faces which it engages.

1'7. In automatic ribbon reversing mechanism, the combination with a driving gear, of a ribbon spool shaft, a gear carried thereby adjacent the other ge a pinion adapted to be moved into engagement with both of thegears, a yoke for moving the pinion hav ing two arms spaced apart and one provided with a roller, a cam for enga ing the roller to oscillate the yoke, and means to move the said roller into and out of position to engage the cam comprising a slide bar controlled by the riboon wound about the spool shaft having a collar which continually engages the other arm of the yoke member.

18. In automatic ribbon reversing mechanism, the combination with a pair of rotatable driving gears, a 'ibbon spool shaft corresponding to each gear, a gear mounted upon each shaft adjacent the driving gear, a pinion to engage the two gears adjacent each ribbon spool shaft, a lever upon which each gear is mounted, a longitudinally movable shaft connecting the levers, means depending upon the amount of ribbon Wound upon each ribbon spool shaft for moving the pinion of its shaft adjacent the said pair of gears and an extension on one of the said levers having faces at an angle to each other, and a spring-pressed bell crank With a roller to engage the faces for pressing the lever and consequently both levers so that their pinions will be moved into and out of engagement With their respective gears to reverse the driving connection of the ribbon spool shafts.

19. In automatic ribbon reversing mecha nism, the combination with a longitudinally movable shaft, of a pair of ribbon spool shafts, means in connection With each ribbon spool shaft for rotating the shaft in one direction and comprising a rotatable driven member, an oscillatable sleeve through which the longitudinally movable shaft eX- tends, means connecting the sleeve With both of the said driven members to rotate them simultaneously, reversing mechanism in connection with each ribbon spool shaft comprising a lever of each feeding mechanism both connected to the longitudinally movable shaft, one of the levers being formed With faces at an angle to each other, and a spring-pressed member with a roller to engage the said faces to press the lever and the said longitudinally movable shaft yieldingly in a direction depending upon the face against which the said roller bears.

20. In automatic ribbon reversing mechanism, the combination with a longitudinally movable shaft, of a pair of rotary driving members, means to operate the said members in unison, ribbon spool shafts, mechanism for connecting one but not both of the ribbon spool shafts to the said driving members at the same time comprising pivotally mounted levers both connected at one end to the said longitudinally movable shaft, and an adjustable stop adjacent each end of the longitudinally movable shaft to limit the movement of one of the levers in the direction of the other lever.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of tWo subscribing Witnesses, on this 28th day of May A. D. 1915.

ALVAI-I C. ROEBUCK.

I/Vitnesses:

L. E. HoUsHoLDER, G. AUSTIN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of latentl.

Washington, D. 0. 

